A former PlayStation executive has revisited one of Sony’s most debated gaming decisions: the closure of Japan Studio. Years after the studio was shut down in April 2021, the move still stands out as a surprising moment for many fans, especially because Japan Studio had long been seen as a distinctive part of PlayStation’s identity.
According to the report, even former Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida sees the decision as hard to believe. His comments add weight to the ongoing discussion around why Sony would close a well-known internal team that had built strong affection among players over the years.
The core question remains whether business performance alone was enough to justify the shutdown. The story points to the long-running debate over sales and whether the studio’s output fit Sony’s changing priorities. For many observers, that has been the central issue since the closure was announced.
Yoshida’s remarks highlight how unusual the move still appears from the inside and outside of PlayStation. More than three years later, Sony’s decision to close Japan Studio continues to be viewed as a major turning point in the company’s approach to its first-party game development.
